The Last of Us' Series in the Works at HBO From 'Chernobyl' Creator Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann (Exclusive)
MARCH 05, 2020 9:30AMby*Borys Kit, Patrick Shanley
Craig Mazin, the creator of the acclaimed limited series*Chernobyl,*is reteaming with HBO adapt*The Last of Us, the massive Sony PlayStation video game franchise.
In a rare development in the world of video game adaptations, the writer and creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann, is also involved, and will work with Mazin to pen and executive produce what is intended to be a series.
Carolyn Strauss will also executive produce along with Evan Wells, the president of Naughty Dog, the Santa Monica-based developer of the game. The project is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television and in association with PlayStation Productions and it will be the first television series from PlayStation Productions.
Originally launched in 2013, Sony and Naughty Dog’s*The Last of Us*garnered critical praise for its engrossing tale of the post-apocalypse centered on the relationship between Joel, a smuggler in this new world, and Ellie, a teenager who may be a key to a cure for the deadly pandemic.
Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle the14-year-old girl out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival. The HBO series will cover the events of the original game, which was written by Druckmann, with the possibility of additional content based on the forthcoming game sequel,*The Last of Us Part II, which will release on May 29, 2020.
Mazin, who is said to be an avid player of the game, stated, “Neil Druckmann is without question the finest storyteller working in the video game medium, and*The Last of Us*is his magnum opus. Getting a chance to adapt this breathtaking work of art has been a dream of mine for years, and I’m so honored to do it in partnership with Neil.”
“From the first time I sat down to talk with Craig I was equally blown away by his approach to narrative and his love and deep understanding of*The Last of Us,” said Druckmann in a statement. “With*Chernobyl, Craig and HBO created a tense, harrowing, emotional masterpiece. I couldn’t think of better partners to bring the story of*The Last of Us*to life as a television show.”
Last of Us*won numerous “game of the year” awards and went on to sell more than 17 million copies across both its original release on the PlayStation 3 and a remastered version on the PlayStation 4.
“This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us to partner with Craig, Neil, Carolyn and the teams at Sony, Naughty Dog and PlayStation to bring the virtual world of this acclaimed game to life,” stated HBO programming president Casey Bloys.
“This is the first of many shows we intend to develop with our friends at PlayStation Productions,” said Chris Parnell, co-president of Sony Pictures Television Studios.*The Last of Us*is a brilliant achievement in storytelling and character development, and we are lucky to have the opportunity to work with this team to adapt it.”
Druckmann is a longtime vet of Naughty Dog, starting as a programming intern in 2004. In 2007, he was given the role of game designer on*Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, the first installment in the action adventure series. In 2013, he created*The Last of Us, based on a concept he developed as a student at Carnegie Mellon University.
Mazin’s*Chernobyl*tackled a bleak and complex true-life event and became a must-see show for HBO. The show won an Emmy for outstanding limited series and landed one for Mazin for outstanding writing. Mazin also won a PGA and a WGA Award.
Originally Posted by TwistedChief:
You mental midget. You compared this to the GDT for someone who was working and watched the game on delay and then felt betrayed by the GDT. Explain that comparison.
Luckily based on your boozy language I'm going to just assume that you're drunk and can't string together sentences or logical thought.
I can't imagine how many trains ran off the track if this is your basis of sound reasoning as an alleged engineer.
I have nothing to do with trains nor am I an engineer. Havn't drank anything but coffee and a coke today. But you thinking that your little series needs not be spoiled for you in a thread dedicated to the series is pretty stupid. Your best bet is not to enter to begin with if you think that possibility doesn't exist. [Reply]
Originally Posted by srvy:
I have nothing to do with trains nor am I an engineer.
Thank god. You chimed in on every Amtrak disaster that I figured you might actually have some sense of what you were talking about. Now that I know you lack all sense of relevance in that realm I can assume the same for all of your posts going forward. My mother is traveling on Amtrak tomorrow and I can sleep more soundly knowing that you are completely irrelevant to her travels.
Played through the game last night for nostalgia sake and lined up with the show this episode or next, man I love Bill, such a fun character, hoping Nick Offerman does it justice and isn't just Nick Offerman playing a guy named Bill. [Reply]
Originally Posted by srvy:
But you thinking that your little series needs not be spoiled for you in a thread dedicated to the series is pretty stupid. Your best bet is not to enter to begin with if you think that possibility doesn't exist.
YEAH! Fuck common courtesy that's been a long standing tradition in CP Media Center!
Why would anyone think that a prevailing, unwritten tradition that's been here for 20 years would continue to exist in yet another thread? That's just crazy talk!
Why would anyone expect to not see a spoiler on a game that's merely 3 years old, that most people probably haven't played? That'd be like, not knowing Biden is president or some shit, amirite?
This is just obvious information that's just oozing from every crevice of the internet! You'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard key story arcs to Last of Us II! [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
YEAH! Fuck common courtesy that's been a long standing tradition in CP Media Center!
Why would anyone think that a prevailing, unwritten tradition that's been here for 20 years would continue to exist in yet another thread? That's just crazy talk!
Why would anyone expect to not see a spoiler on a game that's merely 3 years old, that most people probably haven't played? That'd be like, not knowing Biden is president or some shit, amirite?
This is just obvious information that's just oozing from every crevice of the internet! You'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard key story arcs to Last of Us II!
Originally Posted by Vladimir_Kyrilytch:
So the race swapping just doesn't bother you guys anymore?
You really just said that? Dude WTF? My future Son-in-law is black and he is a wonderful member of our family! YOU need serious help! WOW! You have serious issues man! [Reply]
Man, Im so mad. I was told by everyone this isn't just another zombie show. What the fuck would you call it then? What is so original about it?
They also should have killed the ugly girl instead of the black daughter and switched roles. She looks like she was hit in the face by a log chain. [Reply]
i finally found the time to watch the first episode. man i am not going to lie, maybe im just a piece of shit, but i am having such a hard time getting through every scene that involves bella ramsey. i just cant get over her weird looking face.
at least with adam scott in severance he had some redeeming qualities about him like his ability to act or just not looking nearly as alien like. i could even see him being some chicks type but her though man? what the **** were they thinking casting this bitch? she literally looks like roger from american dad [Reply]
Originally Posted by BWillie:
Man, Im so mad. I was told by everyone this isn't just another zombie show. What the fuck would you call it then? What is so original about it?
We lied to you to waste your time and get this reaction. Thank you for participating. [Reply]
She is definitely distractingly weird looking lol I can appreciate her in media, though. If this girl and that hideous chick from Handmaid’s Tale can find consistent work in Hollywood, goes to show it isn’t all about looks. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ThaVirus:
Is everyone talking about the immune girl?
She is definitely distractingly weird looking lol I can appreciate her in media, though. If this girl and that hideous chick from Handmaid’s Tale can find consistent work in Hollywood, goes to show it isn’t all about looks.
Yes. She shouldn't be on TV. Butt ugly. Why kill the pretty black girl only to use this thing for the main role? [Reply]
